Roasted Tomato & Veggie Sauce/Soup

Here we have the roasting sheet ready to go in the oven.  

I've included tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers, celery, carrot, a tiny potato

 and some fresh rosemary.  

This recipe is quite forgiving in that you can use 

whatever vegetables you have on hand.

Husband-Tested Recipe from the kitchen of Alice Wootton

Serves 6-8

When the tomatoes and other summer vegetables are plentiful, it’s time to make this delicious soup/sauce.  It can then be eaten right away or frozen for one of those long winter nights to come.  This basic recipe is very forgiving.  Besides the tomatoes, add whatever summer veggies you have in the fridge.  (zucchini, summer squash, sweet corn, potatoes, all colors and types of peppers, etc…)  This recipe can be used to make a thick sauce for pasta or brown rice OR thinned a bit with more broth to make a soup.

3 lbs. (approx.) ripe plum tomatoes 

1 large yellow onion (You can also use red onion or shallots.)

2 or more peppers (Any kind will do here.)
½ or 1 whole large entire bulb of garlic

Other vegetables you may have on hand (carrot, celery, zucchini, summer squash (cut into chunks), sweet corn (cut off the kernels), potatoes, all colors and types of peppers, etc…) 

1/4 cup (approx.) Extra virgin olive oil
2-3 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 cup or more of chicken or vegetable broth (homemade is best)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Cut tomatoes in half, lengthwise.  Place in a roasting pan or cookie sheet with sides.  Peel onion.  Cut into chunks.  If using peppers, cut into large chunks, discarding seeds and stems.  Add onion and peppers (and any other veggies) to tomatoes.  Leaving the skin on, slice the top off of the entire bulb of garlic.  Add the garlic bulb in with the tomato mixture.  Drizzle the olive oil over all.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Toss mixture until everything is coated with the oil.  Roast, uncovered, in the oven for approximately 30 to 40 minutes.  Vegetables should be tender, but not scorched.  Pour contents, with juices, into a soup pot.  Using several paper towels to protect your hands from the heat, squeeze the garlic bulb until the tender cloves pop out into the mixture.  Discard the garlic skin.  Add some broth.  (If you want sauce, just add about a cup.  If you want soup, add more until you get the soupiness you desire.)  Add some fresh thyme or basil leaves or a couple of tablespoons of pesto, if desired.  Using a hand blender, puree the soup.  (You can also just use a blender and blend the sauce/soup in batches.) Cook over a flame until heated through.  Serve for a meal or freeze in batches for later. 

Here's a BEFORE and AFTER ROASTING picture.